Major Overnight Search Launched Off Sussex Coast for Missing Person
Massive Search Operation Kicks Off in Hastings
A huge search erupted late Thursday night (31 July) along the Sussex coast after reports of a missing person near Hastings. At 9.59pm, Solent Coastguard swung into action, deploying lifeboats, rescue teams, and a rescue helicopter in a desperate bid to find the individual.
Multi-Agency Effort Scours Sea and Shoreline
Teams from Hastings, Rye Harbour, Dungeness, and the Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat, plus Eastbourne’s all-weather lifeboat, hit the waves. The Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 363 provided vital air support, while land crews from HM Coastguard in Hastings and Bexhill, alongside Sussex Police, combed the coastline.
The search raged through the night into early Friday but turned up no sign of the missing person. The operation was stood down, pending new leads.
Rye RNLI Praises Team Effort
“This was a quick response to the pager and a quick launch. The boat crew were at sea for over 4 hours and did a magnificent job, as did all the shore crew. A great response from team Rye,” said Mark Stephenson (LOM) from Rye RNLI. “It was, as always, a great multi-agency response from RNLI Rye Harbour; RNLI Hastings; Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat; HM Coastguard Rescue Teams from Rye Bay; Hastings and Bexhill.”
Warning: Know What to Do in a Coastal Emergency
The incident highlights the crucial teamwork between lifeboats, police, and coastguard teams when it matters most. Authorities urge the public: in a coastal emergency, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
